Valgella | Balgera

DENOMINATION: Valtellina Superiore DOCG
TYPE: red
GRAPE VARIETY: nebbiolo 100%
REGION OF ORIGIN: Italy, Lombardy
AGEING POTENTIAL: 17 years
SERVICE TEMPERATURE: 18-20°C
GLASS: wide glass for red wine
ALCOHOL: 14% vol
SIZE: 75 cl

THE WINE

TECHNICAL SPECIFICS

FRESHNESS: ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◻︎
BODY: ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎
SAPIDITY: ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◻︎
SOFTNESS: ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◻︎
TANNIN: ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◻︎

NOTES FROM OUR SOMMELIERS

👁 garnet red;

👃🏻 the nose is full and intense; it expresses fruity aromas of strawberry and raspberry, and dried flowers, with spicy notes and mineral hints;

👄 on the palate it is a superb and charming wine: silky tannins, round body, flawless balance. The finish is harmonious and fine;

FOOD PAIRING

This Valtellina Superiore is an excellent wine with great persistence, complexity and balance. It prefers intense and succulent dishes; it goes well with red meats and mature cheeses. For a territorial pairing, it is excellent with pizzoccheri.

 
REFINEMENT

Valtellina Superiore "Valgella" Riserva comes from vineyards in the commune of Teglio, part of the "Valgella" sub-zone. The grapes are harvested by hand, fermentation is spontaneous with 10-12 days of maceration and maturation takes place in oak barrels for 2 years and small barrels for 2 years. Finally, it stays in the bottle for about 12 months.

YOU WILL LOVE IT FOR...

its character and ageing potential.

ORIGINS

TERROIR

The company is located in Chiuro, in the province of Sondrio, in the heart of the Valtellina, a unique wine region made up of vineyards situated between 300 and 900 m above sea level arranged in steep "rittochino" rows with the traditional system of "archetto valtellinese", a modified Guyot system in which the fruit head, instead of being stretched out on the supporting wire, is curved downwards.
 Chiavennasca, the nebbiolo clone that grows at high altitudes, is grown here. Other vines are the Rossola Nera and the Pignola Valtellinese, which make up about 10% of the production. 

Since ancient times, the vine has been the main source of sustenance for the local populations, both as food and as a widespread commodity traded with other basic necessities. The terroir of the Valtellina is varied and includes both gravelly-cobblestone deposits, sandy layers and rocky substrata. 

The terraces are essentially topsoil, brought in since Roman times and blocked with low walls, a situation that today leads to the so-called 'heroic grape harvest'. In the 19th century the Valtellina was fought over by the Swiss and the Italians, and even today four Swiss countries produce Italian DOCG wines. Valtellina includes the following denominations and subzones: Docg Valtellina Superiore Maroggia, Docg Valtellina Superiore Sassella, Docg Valtellina Superiore Grumello, Docg Valtellina Superiore Inferno, Docg Valtellina Superiore Valgella, Doc Rosso di Valtellina and Docg Sforzato di Valtellina.

WINERY

Cantine Balgera is a historical reality in Valtellina. It is located in Chiuro, the centre of heroic vine-growing in the area, where the vineyards need terracing to be cultivated, and was founded by Pietro Balgera, a merchant back in the 19th century. 

Today it is run by Paolo Balgera, a skilled winemaker who seeks to combine tradition with innovation, together with his sons Luca and Matteo. The company works with nebbiolo, locally called "chiavennasca", producing a wide range of wines: from the denominations "Valtellina" and "Valtellina Superiore", with the various sub-zones, to the Reserves, passing through various types of Sforzato di Valtellina, to finish with some white wines, sparkling wines and passiti, together with a Sforzato grappa.